Job summary
To work as part of an autonomous and innovative team specialising in foot and lower limb pathologies.

To assess, diagnose, implement and develop individualised assessment and treatment programmes for patients presenting with foot pathologies and medical need. This will involve general and specialist care within a range of locations, including clinical, domiciliary, hospital, and other external settings with an emphasis on a multidisciplinary approach.

To commit to a philosophy of a patient centred approach to care, with emphasis on client empowerment and self-care.

To work as a highly motivated team member within the podiatry and multidisciplinary team settings and external organisations, to achieve the best patient outcome.

To be responsible for the management of Podiatric caseloads from a high-risk caseload including patients with wounds, demonstrating a high level of knowledge and skills to ensure the provision of high quality care, whilst observing and implementing policies, guidelines and procedures of Lewisham & Greenwich NHS Trust.

Main duties of the job
Responsible for assessing, diagnosing and treating patients with a wide range of podiatric conditions, including systemic, vascular, neurological, dermatological and musculoskeletal disorders, wounds, deformities, nail and skin conditions, paediatric conditions and emergencies.

Use clinical reasoning and evidence-based practice to develop, implement, evaluate and document individualised treatment plans. Review patients, identify further intervention and make appropriate referrals to GPs, District Nursing, Acute Foot Services and other services, ensuring safe discharge.

Provide care to diverse patients, including children, elderly, housebound and vulnerable patients, adapting communication and treatment to individual needs.

Undertake diabetic and high-risk foot clinics, including diabetic foot assessments, risk stratification, management of diabetic foot disease and ulcers, wound swabbing, infection management and urgent referral or hospital admission where required.

Assess and treat lower-limb musculoskeletal conditions, including prescribing and evaluating insoles, orthotics, exercise programmes and bespoke foot orthoses.

Undertake minor surgery including nail surgery and electro-surgery, administer local analgesia and manage emergency complications including anaphylaxis.

Participate in rotations including Nail Surgery, Acute Foot Services, Biomechanics, Low Level Laser Therapy and Podiatric Surgery, maintaining clinical competence and delivering safe, patient-centred care.

About us
Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust is a community focused provider of local and acute care, providing high quality services to over one million people living across the London boroughs of Lewisham, Greenwich and Bexley.

With a turnover of around £700 million, we provide services at Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Woolwich, University Hospital Lewisham and a range of community settings in Lewisham. We also provide some services at Queen Marys Hospital in Sidcup.

The Trust has 7,500 staff and we have recently invested in our workforce to grow our establishment across a number of key services. In 2020 we won a London NHS Parliamentary Award in recognition of a wide range of initiatives to make the organisation a great place to work. We are accredited as a flexible working employer offering a number of flexible working options for staff. We are also accredited as a London Living Wage employer for our substantive, bank and contractors

Job responsibilities

• To carry out assessments and treatments of podiatry patients in a range of settings including clinics nursing homes and patients homes
• To work as a Band Six Podiatrist under the line management of a Band Seven Podiatrist providing support and clinical guidance to Band Five Podiatrists and Assistant Podiatrists within the service
• To work autonomously when undertaking clinical assessments treatments clinics and home visits whilst utilising the support of senior staff in specialist areas of practice when required and clinically indicated
• To provide podiatric care in a variety of settings including Community Health Centres GP Practices Residential and Nursing Homes Patients Homes Day Centres Hospitals Mobile Podiatry Units Hostels and Schools
• To manage a fully allocated clinical and domiciliary caseload working to scheduled appointment times whilst demonstrating flexibility to incorporate emergency referrals including same day referrals when required
• To use effective time management prioritisation and stress management skills to manage competing clinical demands and ensure patients receive timely and appropriate care
• To plan and manage a housebound and high risk caseload with responsibility for prioritising clinical need and coordinating the involvement of other healthcare professionals social services and voluntary organisations when required
• To have highly developed physical skills dexterity and precision hand and eye coordination requiring frequent concentration for prolonged periods
• To utilise comprehensive clinical knowledge and highly developed practical skills when undertaking procedures including debridement of callous corns and foot ulcers which may require treatment at difficult angles and in challenging positions
• To assess and when appropriate move and handle patients who may be immobile wheelchair bound or bed bound often within confined spaces
• To comply with Trust manual handling policies and undertake appropriate risk assessments within nursing homes and patients homes to minimise risks associated with movement and handling and the delivery of clinical care
• To undertake regular risk assessments of working environments and identify and manage risks to patients staff and others
• To work safely and professionally in environments which may present challenging unpleasant impractical or compromising situations
• To manage situations involving infections wounds and unpleasant odours whilst maintaining professional standards patient dignity and personal safety
• To understand how beliefs values emotions culture social environments and other individual circumstances can affect models of intervention patient concordance and compliance and to adapt communication and treatment accordingly
• To be responsible for the professional day to day coordination and management of patient caseloads and clinics
• To organise and participate in regular communication with administrative staff to maintain effective working relationships and ensure efficient service delivery
• To monitor clinic waiting times for all patient groups including priority patients and make appropriate adjustments to clinic timetables and appointment sessions where required
• To monitor and maintain adequate levels of clinical stock pharmacy supplies health promotion materials equipment and instruments
• To ensure all equipment and instrument defects accidents incidents and complaints are reported promptly to the Foot Health Manager and that appropriate action is taken
• To actively participate in and meet the requirements for Continuing Professional Development set out by the Health and Care Professions Council and maintain an up to date record of professional development activities
• To actively participate in the appraisal process and contribute to the development and review of a Personal Development Plan
• To participate in individual performance reviews professional and clinical supervision reflective practice and clinical coaching
• To act as a mentor to colleagues and contribute to peer review professional development and the development of clinical skills within the podiatry team
• To provide support and clinical guidance to junior colleagues and Assistant Podiatrists where appropriate
• To demonstrate flexibility and provide cover for other Podiatrists when necessary including at short notice
• To be willing and able to travel between Trust sites during the working day in accordance with service requirements
• To be able to work independently and safely when delivering care in patients homes and other community settings whilst maintaining effective communication with the wider multidisciplinary team
• To use appropriate IT systems and software including Word Excel PowerPoint and other relevant systems for clinical documentation reports presentations and service requirements
• To maintain accurate and timely clinical records in accordance with professional and Trust requirements
• To wear the required identification badge whilst on duty
• To carry out all responsibilities with due regard to Trust policies and procedures including equality confidentiality health and safety infection prevention and professional conduct
• To ensure patient care is delivered in accordance with professional standards evidence based practice and the requirements of the Health and Care Professions Council
• To undertake any other duties commensurate with the grade of the post

This job description provides an outline of the role and should not be regarded as an inflexible specification

Priorities may change in line with service requirements and new duties may be introduced following appropriate consultation with the post holder.

Person Specification
Qualifications

• State registration to HCPC
• Podiatry Diploma/ Degree
• Local Analgesia Administration Certificate.
• Commitment to continuous development of clinical skills and professional knowledge.
• Awareness of current changes within the NHS.
• Full Driver's Licence

Desirable

• IRMER certificate
• POMs certificate
• Evidence of CPD portfolio demonstrating knowledge base.

Skills

• Ability to diagnose, construct, document, implement and evaluate care plans using a holistic approach
• Ability to make decisions
• To demonstrate good organisational skills in managing own caseload with a proportion of high-risk patients.
• Ability to use electronic resources to create, analyse and share information e.g., Word, Excel, Power Point
• Good verbal and written communication skills in order to deal with people of all age groups in clinical situations and also other health care professional.
• Demonstrate ability to use specialist diagnostic & therapeutic equipment e.g., doppler ultrasound, neurosthesiometer, gait analysis systems
• Hand eye co-ordination, dexterity, manipulation, keyboard activity

Personal Qualities

• Flexible, friendly, enthusiastic, motivated, accessible, reliable
• Empathetic & holistic approach to client care
• Commitment to equal opportunities
• Logical approach to problem solving
• Ability to communicate at different levels with for example patients, administrative staff, people with language and learning difficulties
• Providing complex information in an understandable manner
• Work closely with Foot Health Services team members, and collaborating with multi-disciplinary colleagues, to achieve excellent patient care through integrated care pathways
• Able to respond to changes , to integrate new ideas and systems, in a challenging environment

Experience

• A minimum 1 years Post graduate experience of treating a high-risk caseload including a wound care caseload and a willingness to undertake post graduate training and education in specialist areas of podiatry e.g diabetes
• Post graduate experience in:
• Minor surgical procedures.
• Biomechanics including diagnosis, fabrication, prescription and evaluation of orthoses and formulating treatment plans, muscle balancing programmes.
• Local analgesia injection including calculating maximum safe doses and detecting contra-indications to use.
• Post graduate experience of full patient assessment (medical history, vascular, neuropathic etc) and formulating diagnosis & treatment plans.
• Experience in coaching students and willingness to undertake training in clinical coaching

Desirable

• 2 years post graduate experience of treating a high risk caseload including people with diabetic and ischaemic foot ulceration
• Involvement in Health Education
• Evidence of working within Specialist areas of Podiatry e.g. Podiatric Surgery, Diabetes, R.A etc.
• Training in clinical coaching

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).